Managing the wardrobe switch from winter to summer

Posted Thursday, 18 June 2015

The start of summer is a popular time for many to sort out their wardrobe, moving heavier winter and early spring clothes into temporary storage and bringing out the lighter, cooler outfits instead, in time for summer. However, this process can prove even more useful than a simple switch-round of garments. It can offer the perfect impetus to have a proper overhaul of everything, both winter and summer wear.

Winter wardrobe audit

Don’t just mindlessly remove and pack up everything in your winter wardrobe. Take a long, hard look at each item fist. Is it worth storing? When did you last wear it? Can you still fit into it, and will you welcome it back next winter? If the answer is ‘no’ to any of these questions, consider giving it away to charity, selling it or sending it to be recycled. Check items that you want to keep for damage or dirt and have them repaired and/or cleaned now.

Savvy storage

To protect the clothes you do want to keep, make sure they are stored correctly. Invest in some acid-free tissue paper to lay between each garment and keep them in a clean, well-ventilated place in a sturdy container. Large plastic boxes work well for this, as do items of luggage that you are not planning to use over the summer. Lay clothes as flat as you can to minimise creases and add a sachet of dried rosemary, lavender or cedar chips to keep the moths away.

Transitional tips

Don’t pack absolutely everything away, but keep out accessories, such as scarves, belts and ties that will still work with summer outfits. That way, you won’t feel the need to shop for replacements and build back the clutter. Some of the thinner ‘layer’ types of tops that you bought for added winter warmth can come into their own now as outfits in their own right.

Capsule cleverness

Consider creating a capsule wardrobe to streamline your clothes even further. This concept is based around owning a small nucleus of garments, carefully selected to go with each other, thus creating several outfit combinations with just a small handful of individual items. So a single pair of trousers would go with a smart work top, floaty tunic, causal denim jacket or a shirt dress. Choose colours that compliment each other so that nothing will clash and you won’t have to buy the same item in multiple colours to get enough combinations of clothes.

Take action now!

As with so many aspects of decluttering and house clearing, procrastination is a major enemy of progress. Putting off the great wardrobe clearance is easy to do, as you can simply shut the wardrobe door and the problem will be hidden from sight. Yet, the quicker you sort everything out, the sooner you can work out your summer wardrobe and see what you have got, and what you need to have a fantastic collection of seasonal outfits. Once you have sorted out the things that need to leave the house, take them to the charity shop or list them on selling websites immediately, so that they don’t take up room hanging around, waiting for you to notice them a second time. Strike while the proverbial iron is hot and enjoy the increased space in your wardrobe and home.